North Korean House of Cards

to his days as the Director of the MSC and, earlier, in the GPB. He was
ranked fifteenth on Jon Pyong-ho’s Funeral Committee list, a rank that
understates his real influence.
• Colonel General Jo Kyong-chol has not been publicly identified as
a member of any leadership body. As head of the MSC, he runs an
organization that plays an important role in guaranteeing internal
security. Like the GPB, the MSC is responsible for ensuring the loyalty
of the armed forces, which it does through surveillance and infiltration.
Under Kim Jong-il, the MSC rose in prominence to rival that of the
SSD and the MPS. The MSC is formally subordinate to the MPAF and
NDC. However, because of its sensitive mission, the commander of the
MSC reportedly has a direct line of communication to the Supreme
Leader. 653 He was ranked 47th on Jon Pyong-ho’s Funeral Committee
list. He was also promoted to colonel general in February 2015. 654
• Colonel General Yun Jong-rin (77) has been a member of the CMC
since 2010. As Director of the Guard Command (GC), 655 he is
responsible for ensuring Kim Jong-un’s protection.656 Therefore, he
not only works with Kim’s Personal Secretariat, but also most likely has
a direct line of communication to Kim that bypasses any gatekeepers.
Yun was a protégé of Jang Song-taek’s older brother, Jang Song-u.
Some South Korean media suggested that Yun reported directly to Jang
Song-taek, but this was unlikely given the sensitive responsibility of
the GC and its relationship to the Supreme Leader. There has been
no indication that Yun Jong-rin has been removed as part of the Jang
Song-taek purge. However, it appears that he was demoted to colonel
general sometime between April and December 2014, a period during
which he was not seen in public.
653 During Kim Jong-un’s inspection of Unit 447 of the KPA Air and Anti-Air Force in May
2014, Jo Kyong-chol was seen carrying a revolver and standing at attention behind First Chairman Kim
Jong-un. He was also wearing a general rank insignia for the first time. Presumably, his name was on the
official promotion list in April 2014.
654 “Kim Jong-un’s Order Number 0078 to Promote KPA Commanding Officer Ranks,” Nodong
Sinmun, February 16, 2015.
655 The Guard Command is also referred to as the General Guard Command, the Bodyguard
Command, and the Guard Bureau.
656 He has held this post since 2003, which suggests his close ties to the Kim family. The fact that
he was not replaced when Kim Jong-un took power suggests a close relationship between the two.
Ken E. Gause
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